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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Saturday, January 7, 2017
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ILOILO – Local government officials in Janiuay want a moratorium on quarry operations.
“Heavy rains poured by typhoon ‘Marce’ last Nov. 25 and 26, 2016 flooded some barangays along the Sugae and Magapa rivers, which consequently damaged houses, crops and infrastructure,” read part of the Sangguniang Bayan resolution passed on Nov. 28, 2016.
They asked Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. to suspend quarrying in the town.
“The present administration under Mayor Jose Lam de Paula would like to make an appeal for a moratorium on quarry operations,” the resolution further read.
Defensor vowed to look into the matter.
“If there is a need for immediate action, I will act on this with dispatch,” said the governor.
In three years’ time, there may not be enough sand and gravel in this province to meet the demands of the local construction industry, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 had warned last year.
In November 2016, the provincial government led a mining/quarry summit.
At the event, a quarry permitee from Janiuay urged capitol to stop the illegal extraction of sand and gravel mostly from the province’s rivers.
Aside from Janiuay, illegal quarrying is reportedly rampant in Calinog, Cabatuan and Alimodian.
“Illegal quarry operators are raking in a lot of money every day without paying the government the proper dues,” Ric Macalalag had claimed./PN
China funding Capiz irrigation project
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO City – The Chinese government will fund the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project in Tapaz, Capiz.
President Rodrigo Duterte discussed the project during his visit in China, said National Irrigation Administration (NIA) administrator Peter Laviña.
“We are now finalizing the feasibility study,” Laviña told Iloilo reporters.
The NIA will submit the feasibility study to the National Economic and Development Authority for further evaluation.
“The Chinese Embassy is waiting for the feasibility study to immediately arrange for the funding mechanism,” said Laviña.
“But if this will be funded by China, most likely, this will be [on] a very low-interest concessional loan,” the official added.
Laviña claimed the P18-billion Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project will be the biggest irrigation project in the Philippines, while the second biggest is the P15-billion Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-Abra irrigation system.
NIA regional director Gerardo Corsiga said the Capiz project features two dams and a highline canal, and includes flood control, drainage, irrigation, potable water supply, and hydropower generation.
The project will affect 26 barangays in Tapaz, 19 of which are indigenous people areas. The government must thus secure a Free Prior and Informed Consent certificate as mandated by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act./PN
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